Saturday, February 04, 2023

Weekend Cooking: What I Baked (In My Kitchen) in January

The first Saturday of the month is when I share all the things that I baked in the previous month, which is great when you have been baking but this month I only made one thing! This is the third month in a row that I have only made one thing, but I think next month should be more productive. Maybe. Especially seeing as I have singed up for an online baking course. I can do it at my own pace, but that means that I am free to procrastinate actually starting it!



I am happy to report that the one thing that I did make was a big hit! My husband is still talking about it a week later.




I made this chocolate mousse cake for our very late Christmas lunch with our kids. This is basically a chocolate biscuit base, similar to what you would use on a cheesecake, with a chocolate mousse and then a chocolate ganache. 


I have made this before and I will make it again. 




I often share these month posts with In My Kitchen, hosted at Sherry's Picking. Many times the participants share new things that they have acquired for their kitchens so today I am going to do the same.




While we were away we picked up a few little bits and pieces for the kitchen.




The first item we bought is this paint palette cheeseboard. We picked this up from a shop that was just down the street from our hotel on Ile St Louis in Paris. We loved the concept and that the paint brush is actually the cheese knife. What we didn't realise is that the shop we bought it from was, in effect, part of a homewares chain and therefore we could have bought it from different places, including from Rome. Oh well.


We bought the tea towel with the idea that it will be hung up somewhere in our butler's pantry. We just need to figure out where.

The other thing that we bought might seem a bit strange. We first saw one of these triple egg timers at a hotel and we were fascinated with it. The idea is that you can use it to time eggs to either the soft, medium or hard boiled stage of eggs. I have no idea if you can get them here or not, but I've never seen them. We bought it from a shop in Amboise in the Loire Valley. Guess what we are having for breakfast on Sunday!


Since we got home, I have also bought myself a new cookbook.






We have cooked a couple of recipes from the book so far, and both were good! One of these recipes will definitely be making it onto our regular meal rotations. You can see the tip of the pages that I have tagged as being interesting.



Expect to hear more about this book in upcoming future Weekend Cooking posts!



Weekly meals

Saturday - Macaroni cheese
Sunday -  Nothing
Monday - Paccheri with leeks, Parmesan and prosciutto di Parma
Tuesday - Meatballs with crostini and bocconcini
Wednesday - 
Thursday - Takeaway
Friday - "Fried" chicken, mash and veggies




Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

24 comments:

  1. The ultimate Chocoholic's dessert! The only new things in my kitchen would be the things I've had to replace. My not so old slow cooker for one. Unless you count as kitchen the double barrel compost tumbler.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am sure you can count that Claudia! lol

      Delete
  2. As a cookbook fanatic I say that cookbook looks fascinating. It's interesting what different traditional cuisines consider essential. I loved both Joyce Goldstein's and Alice Water's books on their pantries. And what they considered essential.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am loving cooking from it so far Liz! Recommend.

      Delete
  3. the cake looks delicious Marg. and that egg timer is very cute. And what about that cheeseboard and knife? so cute. thanks for joining in IMK this month.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like the idea of doing an online baking class. I wonder if we have something similar here. I'd love to learn more about baking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am sure there must be something similar Deb!

      Delete
  5. I can see why your husband is still talking about that cake; It looks absolutely delicious! The palette cheeseboard looks lovely too. I don't seem to buy many cookbooks anymore. Most recipes I look for online. Thanks for hosting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I find myself going back to cookbooks more often now Judee!

      Delete
  6. Your chocolate cake looks heavenly!! Love your kitchen finds. I've never seen an egg timer like that. Very cool. The Italian Pantry sounds like a good read. I'll be adding it to my list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We hadn't seen a timer like that either Lori.

      Delete
  7. I have a tea towel like that, I put it on the bar. I am thinking of an online bread course. There is nothing like a new cookbook!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bread is one of the online course options available.

      Delete
  8. I can see why your husband is still talking about that cake. It looks so good. Perfect with a cuppa coffee. Love that cheese board :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely will be making it again Tina.

      Delete
  9. What a neat idea! The cake looks amazing and yummy. Love the gifts you bought along your journey.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by and commenting Cheryl

      Delete
  10. Did the egg timer work? I have an egg boiler which is so much easier. That chocolate mousse cake looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your Chocolate Mousse cake looks delicious, I'll have to make it for dessert with friends one night. You've made me even more excited about travelling to France this year, I love the cheeseboard idea.I'll mainly be in Montpellier, I hope the homewares chain is there. I hope to take a cooking class while I'm there as well. Nice to meet you on your blog Marg.

    ReplyDelete